Starbucks Puts These Plans Into High Gear As Virus Reshapes Habits

BILL PETERS
04:21 PM ET 05/21/2020

Starbucks stock rose on Thursday after the coffee chain said its U.S. same-store sales last week stood at around two thirds of what they were last year, but it also warned stores "will not require the same level of staffing" and accelerated store overhaul plans.

With more people wary of crowded indoor spaces and physical contact due to the coronavirus pandemic, Starbucks (SBUX) also said that its stores would look different in the days to come, as it accelerates a plan to expand its to-go options. The announcements, in a letter to employees, were made as the company tries to navigate the pandemic, which temporarily shuttered stores in China, the U.S. and elsewhere and reshaped customers' purchasing habits.